How Sports Underdogs Became ‘Cinderellas’

by Merriam-Webster Dictionary    Cinderella is arguably the most iconic of fairy tales, an archetype of what is known as the rags-to-riches story.    You know how it goes: living under the oppression of her evil stepmother, she finds her chance at happiness and fortune only after a fairy godmother makes her over for the …

Miami Of Ohio Strikes A Blow For Underdogs

by Kevin Burton    My underdog heart beat just a little bit faster Wednesday, thanks to Miami of Ohio winning a play-in game.    I would love the RedHawks to have a nice long run in March Madness, beginning with their 3:25 p.m. matchup with Tennessee today, but I’m happy with what they have done …

The Last Jump Shot Of A Confirmed Gym Rat

by Kevin Burton    My most recent place of employment was a three-story church, which had, on the third floor, a gymnasium.    I almost never went up there because my work was on the other two floors. But the whole time I worked there, there was a basketball on the floor, in the office, …

Mike Kennedy, Forever Voice Of The Shockers

by Kevin Burton     Tomorrow Mike Kennedy will call his final regular-season game after 46 years as the voice of Wichita State basketball.    This is one of those blog ideas that showed up on the spreadsheet long ago. But it keeps moving down the page. I’m having trouble delivering it.    I don’t want …

Please Help Support Baseball For Blind Players

by Kevin Burton    In five-plus years I have never asked you readers for anything on Page 7, except for your attention and maybe to suspend disbelief a time or two.    Today’s post is a little different. So what’s gotten into me today? Why am I asking for your help?    Well, you could …

There Is A Method To My March Madness

by Kevin Burton    I can’t imagine a scenario where I am completely immune to the madness.    While you and your office mates filled out brackets last week, that was only a fleeting thought for me. Didn’t come close to working up the enthusiasm. But that doesn’t mean I can’t be found on the …

Deflated Wichita State Program Limps Offstage

by Kevin Burton    Well, at least it’s over.    The 2024-25 version of Wichita State basketball bowed out yesterday, when the Shockers lost an American Athletic Conference tournament quarterfinal game to Memphis 83-80.    The team went 19-14 this year and will not go to a post-season tournament. They were far from sublime, not …

Adding Indiana Fever To My Sports Landscape

by Kevin Burton    I need to correct an error today, an egregious error.    Last month I wrote a post about my favorite sports teams in the various college and professional sports leagues (“My Shifting Sports Team Allegiances,” March 27).    Somehow I got all the way through that post without writing a single …

Wichita State Great Ron Baker Turns 30

by Kevin Burton    Ron Baker, the shooting guard who helped usher in the greatest era of basketball at Wichita State, turns 30 tomorrow.    Some of us may not be ready to hear that.    Some of us overlooked, downtrodden people clung tightly to those Wichita State teams, underdogs who routinely slayed giants (I’m …

Why Do We Love March Madness So Much?

by Kevin Burton   In the bad old days, being without a girlfriend, or a date, or even a prayer, on Valentine’s Day was a sharp searing pain to the psyche.    Now by comparison, being without a basketball team for the big dance, or even the little dance, is a dull ache. March Madness is …